Folding carton with cover



Jan. 23, 1968 J. B. FUNKHOUSER ET AL 3,365,113

FOLDING CARTON WITH COVER Filed Oct. 10, 1966 INVENTORS= JAMES P). FUNKHOUSEE GEORGE E. IZWTEIZ ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,365,113 FOLDING CARTON WiTH COVER James B. Fnnkhouser, Atlanta, and George E. Ritter, Smyrna, Ga., assignors to The Mead Corporation, a corporation of Ohio Filed Get. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 585,370 Claims. (Cl. 229-28) This invention relates to a folding carton having a cover and more particularly to an improved locking arrangement whereby a separate cover may be secured to a folding carton having at least one transverse partition defining a plurality of cells.

Containers having self-locking covers are known which are reasonably pilfer proof. Such structures ordinarily utilize locking hinges of special construction and which normally are characterized by substantial strength and durability.

Other carton covers are of a simpler and less expensive glued construction but do not afford the degree of security as do those of a more elaborate construction. Known cartons of the type having a hinged cover with a tucking flap may also serve as display devices for use in conjunction with point of purchase merchandising but ordinarily do not afford any protection against pilferage.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an improved folding box cover structure which eliminates the necessity for glue and which utilizes a self-locking cover affording a high degree of protection against pilferage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved cover for a folding box which is of a separate structure and which therefore facilitates loading of the carton while being readily adaptable for use as a display case.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved self-locking hinge for interrelating a folding box having transverse partitions and at least one edge of the carton cover, the improved hinge arrangement also being readily adaptable for use on opposite edges of the cover as well as on a single edge thereof.

A carton constructed according to the invention incorporates at least one transverse partition wherein at least a part of one end of the transverse partition is configured to define both a clearance passage and a locking notch immediately adjacent one of the side walls, and a hinge panel foldably joined to the carton cover is arranged to occupy the clearance passage and a locking flap foldably joined to the hinge panel is disposed within the locking notch at an acute angle to the hinge panel, the arrangement being such that once the hinge panel and locking fiap are inserted into the clearance passage and locking notch respectively, the cover is securely affixed to the carton. If desired the improved structure according to the invention may be utilized on opposite side edges of the cover as well as along a single side edge thereof. The cover would necessarily be provided with a tear strip for opening the carton should the hinge arrangement of this invention be utilized on two opposite side edges of the cover.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the folding box having a cover affixed to the box along one edge in accordance with the invention; FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along the line designated 22 in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a plan view of the cover shown mounted on the box in FIG. 1; and in which FIGS. 4 and 5 represent alternative cover structures constructed according to the invention.

In the drawings the numerals 1 and 2 are used to desig- 3,365,113 Patented Jan. 23, 1968 nate carton front and back side walls to the ends of which end panels 3, 4, 5 and 6 are foldably joined. A center partition 7 is foldably joined at its ends to the end panels 3, 4, 5 and 6. Transverse panels 8, 9, 10 and 11 are interconnected between side Wall 1 and medial partition 7. Similarly transverse panels 12, 13, 14 and 15 are foldably joined to medial longitudinal partition 7 at one end and at the other end to the side wall '2. A cover generally designated at 16 is hinged along the top edge of side wall 2 in accordance with this invention.

As is best shown in FIG. 2 transverse partition 15 is secured by a flap 17 to the side wall 2 along the lower portion of the partition 15. The upper portion of partition 15 is configured so as to define a clearance passage 18 between a part of the end of transverse partition 15 and the side wall 2. Immediately below clearance passage 18, a locking notch 19 is formed due to the cutaway configuration of a part of the end of transverse partition 15. Disposed within clearance passage 18 is a hinged panel 20 which is foldably joined to the main top panel 21 of cover 16 along one edge identified by the numeral 22. A locking flap 23 is foldably joined along fold line 24 to the bottom edge of hinge panel 20.

With the body portion of the carton in set-up condition as depicted in FIG. 1, the cover 16 is affixed in position as shown in FIG. 1 by simply folding the locking fiap 23 into flat face contacting relation with the hinge panel 20. Thereafter the locking flap and hinge panel are inserted alongside the inner surface of side wall 2 and through the clearance passage 18 to occupy positions wherein the locking flap 23 is disposed within the locking notch 19, the fight of the material being effective to bias the locking flap into the locking position shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, locking flap 23 is disposed at an acute angle with respect to the hinge panel 20 and from FIG. 2 it is obvious that an upward pull on lid 21 will not result in removal of the lid 16, the locking flap 23 being effective to secure the hinge panel 20 in the position depicted in FIG. 2.

From FIG. 2 it is also apparent that the width of clearance passage 18 must beat least equal to and preferably is slightly greater than the combined widths of the locking flap 23 and of the hinge panel 20. This dimension may result from the amount of panel 15 which is cut away or may be the result of outward bowing of side wall 2. Furthermore it is apparent from FIG. 2 that the height of the locking notch 19 must be greater than the width thereof in order securely to trap the locking flap 23 in its locking position as depicted in FIG. 2. Preferably the upper edge of the partition adjacent the side wall is bevelled or rounded to facilitate insertion of the hinge panel and locking flap.

The arrangement depicted in FIG. 1 is such that opposite edges of the main panel 21 of cover 16 are secured by the self locking structure of this invention. More specifically the panel 21 is provided with a second hinge panel 25 which is foldably joined to a side edge of panel 21 along a fold line 26 and a locking flap 27 is foldably joined to hinge panel 25 along fold line 28. Of course structure not shown in FIG. 1 is provided at the adjacent end of transverse partitions 8, 9, 10 and 11 and adjacent the side wall 1 such as is shown in FIG. 2. The locking flap 27 is folded into flat face contacting relation with the inner surface of hinge panel 25 and the flap 27 and hinge panel 25 are then inserted along the inner surface of side wall 1 sufficiently to cause locking flap 23 to occupy locking notches such as 19 of FIG. 2. The cover will then occupy a closed and securely locked position.

In order to open the carton constructed according to FIG. 1 and utilizing the cover depicted in FIG. 3, the cover must be ruptured. To this end, a conventional tear strip 29 is provided in the main panel 21. Of course once the tear strip is removed the sides 30 and 31 of main panel 21 may simply be folded upwardly to expose the contents of the package.

If the carton is to be used as a display device such for example as at a point of purchase location, it might be desirable to use the cover depicted in FIG. 4. The cover of FIG. 4 utilizes a locking flap such as 23 and a hinge panel such as 20 along one edge but a simple tucking flap 32 is provided along the opposite edge 33. Tucking flap 32 cooperates with side wall 1 and with the transverse partition structures 3, 9, 10 and 11 in known manner.

Display ordinarily is enhanced if the cover of FIG. 4 is provided with medial fold lines designated at 34 and 35 together with an ad panel such as is designated at 36. Thus the cover of FIG. 4 can be opened by simply removing the tucking flap 32 from its closed position and thereafter folding the cover along the fold lines 34 and 35 so that the underneath surfaces of the cover of FIG. 4 are disposed in fiat face contacting relation to each other and with the ad panel 36 extending upwardly. Of course the hinge construction utilizing the locking flap 23 and hinge panel 20 in the cover of FIG. 4 are identical to the corresponding arrangement of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

If the carton is not intended for use as a display device, a simple cover such as depicted in FIG. may be utilized. The arrangement of FIG. 5 utilizes a locking flap 23 and a hinge panel 20 of the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1-4 inclusive and in addition incorporates a simple tucking flap 32 foldably joined along the fold line 33 to the main panel 21, the advertising panel 36 and the medial fold lines 34 and 35 being eliminated from FIG. 5.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A carton comprising spaced side and end walls, at least one transverse partition extending between said side walls, a part of at least one end of said transverse partition being configured to define a clearance passage and a locking notch immediately adjacent one of said side walls, a hinge panel disposed within said clearance passage and in generally parallel relation to said one side wall and arranged with its bottom edge adjacent said locking notch, a locking flap foldably joined to said hinge panel along the bottom edge thereof and disposed at an acute angle with respect thereto, said locking flap being disposed in said locking notch and being effective to prevent movement of said hinge panel out of said clearance passage, and a cover panel foldably joined to an edge of said hinge panel remote from said locking flap.

2. A carton according to claim 1 wherein said part of said one end of said partition panel is spaced from the adjacent side wall to define said clearance passage by a distance approximately equal to the thickness of said hinge panel plus the thickness of said locking flap.

3. A carton according to claim 1 wherein said part of said one end of said partition panel is spaced from the adjacent side wall to define said locking notch by a distance less than the dimension of said locking flap between the edge thereof which is foldably joined to said hinge panel and the opposite edge thereof.

4. A carton according to claim 1 wherein said locking notch is generally rectangular in configuration and wherein the horizontal dimension thereof is less than the vertical dimension thereof.

5. A carton according to claim 1 wherein a clearance passage and a locking notch are formed at each end of said partition panel and wherein hinge panels and locking flaps are formed along opposite side edges of said cover panel and are disposed in the adjacent ones of said clearance passages and of said locking notches respectively, and a tear strip formed in said cover panel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,184,205 12/1939 Weikel 2l756 2,460,870 2/ 1949 Bruckhauser 229 2,749,014 6/1956 Russell et al. 22944 2,807,407 9/1957 Van Rosen 22945 DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CARTON COMPRISING SPACED SIDE AND END WALLS, AT LEAST ONE TRANSVERSE PARTITION EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS, A PART OF AT LEAST ONE END OF SAID TRANSVERSE PARTITION BEING CONFIGURED TO DEFINE A CLEARANCE PASSAGE AND A LOCKING NOTCH IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS, A HINGE PANEL DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CLEARANCE PASSAGE AND IN GENERALLY PARALLEL RELATION TO SAID ONE SIDE WALL AND ARRANGED WITH ITS BOTTOM EDGE ADJACENT SAID LOCKING NOTCH, A LOCKING FLAP FOLDABLY JOINED TO SAID HINGE PANEL ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGE THEREOF AND DISPOSED AT AN ACUTE ANGLE WITH RESPECT THERETO, SAID LOCKING FLAP BEING DISPOSED IN SAID LOCKING NOTCH AND BEING EFFECTIVE TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF SAID HINGE PANEL OUT OF SAID CLEARANCE PASSAGE, AND A COVER PANEL FOLDABLY JOINED TO AN EDGE OF SAID HINGE PANEL REMOTE FROM SAID LOCKINMG FLAP. 